If National wins ...

[iceman]

Iceman there are big differences between the current referendum than the first. Mainly, nearly 400k signatures were collected to petition for a referendum. So if you want to blame around 20% of the voting public for squandering $9M, so be it, however I would suggest that's democracy in action. However the latest referendum has been forced on us by one man, John Key.

Re the backpackers, having been one in the UK we used to think the Poms were lazy. But it has to be put into context. We were there for a short time, working hard & playing hard, knowing we weren't dog it for the rest of our lives. So its quite a different ethic. In NZ its hard to compete with the Island labor as their physical attributes are superior to the average Kiwi for certain work. You only have to look at the ABs for that. You are Also comparing some people in NZ who are toward the bottom of the socio-economic spectrum of NZ versus people who are being paid far more here than they would in their own country. So the comparison is never going to be fair.

No EZ I did not say that historic Labour Party policy is ruining our youth's ethics to work. But I fear our society is. My wife is a primary school teacher in a low decile school and I fear for the future of the children being taught there, with main focus on rubbish that will never help them in life. But apparently it is politically correct. Now we have some parties wanting the teachers to focus on feeding the kids lunch etc, rather than teach them.

daytr I am not sure agree with you about comparisons not being fair. If we have 6.5% unemployment in Hawkes Bay, a good share of those should be told to go and pick apples. No excuses. And many of the apple pickers in Nelson/Marlborough are Europeans, not the low wage people from the Islands you refer to.
I have an interest in a tourism business in northern Europe where we seasonally use 20 something European guides in fairly low paid jobs. They are generally very well educated with a very high work ethic and happy to work in low paid but jobs during their summer holidays from Uni.

[artemis]

..... If we have 6.5% unemployment in Hawkes Bay, a good share of those should be told to go and pick apples. No excuses.....

There's a good chance some of them are told to go pick apples. And very likely they apply for jobs. Probably some will be taken on. And if they are not, well that is the choice of the employer who does not need an excuse.

If i managed an orchard I would not choose 'high maintenance' employees to get the crop harvested in the short window. Just sayin'.

[westerly]

There's a good chance some of them are told to go pick apples. And very likely they apply for jobs. Probably some will be taken on. And if they are not, well that is the choice of the employer who does not need an excuse.

If i managed an orchard I would not choose 'high maintenance' employees to get the crop harvested in the short window. Just sayin'.

If you have 6.5% unemployment in Hawkes Bay which probably includes Gisborne not all will be young people.
This excerpt from a seasonal work site possibly clarifys why the orchards struggle for labour.

"Apple thinning will begin mid to late November and will run until Christmas. Apple harvesting will begin mid February and will run until the end of April. Most of the jobs require that you have your own transport. The worksites are rural and a long way from the available accommodation. "

westerly

[craic]

I don't think that Gisborne is in Hawkes Bay. Wairoa maybe but that's as much as we can cope with.

[westerly]

I don't think that Gisborne is in Hawkes Bay. Wairoa maybe but that's as much as we can cope with.

Not according to the Dept. of Labour stats. You will just have to cope a little bit better Craic

[Daytr]

That's exactly it, the employer will choose the best option available for their business and if imported labour is the better option & available then that's what they will go for.

There's a good chance some of them are told to go pick apples. And very likely they apply for jobs. Probably some will be taken on. And if they are not, well that is the choice of the employer who does not need an excuse.

If i managed an orchard I would not choose 'high maintenance' employees to get the crop harvested in the short window. Just sayin'.

[Daytr]

National had a crisis meeting today according to the press re the flag referendum disaster. Maggie Barry called it apparently & I wouldn't trust her for a minute. Knives out for Key? Key playing it down of course, as he does everything.

[fungus pudding]

National had a crisis meeting today according to the press re the flag referendum disaster. Maggie Barry called it apparently & I wouldn't trust her for a minute. Knives out for Key? Key playing it down of course, as he does everything.

Hardly a crisis. It's a referendum and it will proceed.

[Daytr]

So what was the meeting that Barry organized then?
They are starting to panic as they know its a loser.

Hardly a crisis. It's a referendum and it will proceed.

[777]

Does it matter whether it is a loser or not. Hardly an issue.

Unless of course you want to make it one.